Portland, Oregon

Portland Tech Startup Tax & Accounting

Expert tax & accounting services for Oregon's outdoor tech, athletic innovation, and sustainability-focused startups. From Pearl District to Waterfront, navigate Oregon's 7.6% corporate rate and 5-20% R&D credits.

1,200+
Tech Startups
$8M
Avg Series A
7.6%
State Tax Rate
No sales tax, outdoor tech hub

Serving Portland's Tech Ecosystem

Pearl District
Waterfront
Downtown Portland
Southeast Portland
Beaverton Tech Corridor

Portland Startup Tax Challenges We Solve

No Sales Tax = Different Nexus Calculations

Oregon's lack of sales tax is great for consumers but requires careful nexus planning when selling to other states. We help you navigate multi-state sales tax obligations.

Corporate Minimum Tax Tiers

Oregon charges corporate minimum tax ranging from $150 to $100,000 based on Oregon sales. We optimize your structure to minimize this fixed cost while you're scaling.

Transit Tax & Metro Taxes

Portland Metro area has additional business income taxes (1.5% Multnomah County, 1% Metro). We ensure you're compliant and not double-paying.

Work Opportunity Tax Credit Stacking

Oregon offers state hiring credits that stack with federal WOTC. We identify eligible hires (veterans, long-term unemployed) to maximize credits.

Oregon Tax Opportunities We Unlock

Oregon Research Activities Credit (ORAC)

Claim 5% of qualified research expenses (QREs) as a state credit, or 20% if you're in manufacturing. Transferable to other Oregon taxpayers if you can't use it immediately. Portland tech companies typically save $15K-$75K annually through ORAC.

Strategic Investment Program (SIP)

Capital-intensive projects over $25M can get property tax exemptions for 15 years. Relevant for hardware startups or large manufacturing expansions in the Portland metro area.

Film & Video Production Credits

If your startup produces media content, Oregon offers 20% rebate on production expenses. Great for gaming studios, video platforms, or content companies. Projects can save $50K-$500K+.

No Sales Tax Advantage

Operating in Oregon means no sales tax compliance burden for local sales. This simplifies your accounting and gives pricing advantages in local markets while reducing administrative overhead.

Success Story

Industry: Athletic Software SaaS

Challenge

Portland-based running app startup with 18 employees and $2.8M revenue was paying estimated taxes based on projections but missing Oregon R&D credits and QSBS planning for eventual acquisition.

Solution

Implemented QRE tracking for Oregon ORAC (5% credit), restructured equity grants to maximize QSBS eligibility, optimized corporate minimum tax strategy, and set up Section 1202 paperwork for $10M+ gain exclusion.

Results

$23K Oregon ORAC credits (5% on $460K QREs), $91K federal R&D credits, $33K Section 179 equipment deduction on servers/hardware, plus QSBS structure positioned for $10M+ tax-free gain on exit. Total first-year savings: $147K.

Portland Tech Startup Tax FAQs

How does Oregon's no sales tax affect my online sales?

Oregon having no sales tax means you don't collect or remit sales tax for Oregon customers. However, you still need to track nexus and collect sales tax in other states where you have economic presence (usually $100K+ in sales or 200+ transactions). We handle multi-state nexus analysis.

What is the Oregon corporate minimum tax and how is it calculated?

Oregon charges a minimum tax ranging from $150 (under $1M Oregon sales) to $100,000 ($100M+ Oregon sales). It's based on your Oregon sales, not income. Even loss-making companies pay this. We help you plan structure to minimize this fixed cost.

Can I transfer my Oregon R&D credits if I can't use them?

Yes! Oregon Research Activities Credits are transferable to other Oregon taxpayers. If you're in a loss position or have limited Oregon tax liability, you can sell your credits (typically at 80-90 cents on the dollar) to monetize them immediately.

What are Portland Metro's additional business taxes?

Multnomah County charges 1.5% on business income over $5M. Metro regional government charges 1% on income over $5M for businesses with 25+ employees. These are in addition to state corporate tax. We optimize entity structure to minimize these stacking taxes.

Should my Portland startup incorporate in Oregon or Delaware?

Most VC-backed Portland startups incorporate in Delaware for legal/investor reasons but qualify as Oregon taxpayers based on nexus. This means you file Delaware franchise tax ($400+) plus Oregon corporate tax. We handle the multi-state compliance and ensure you're not double-taxed.

Ready to Optimize Your Portland Startup's Taxes?

Get a free consultation with our Oregon tax experts and discover how much you could save.

Schedule Free Consultation